Keep your breakfast game STRONG! Treble in the Kitchen’s Tara Rochford is here, and she’s sharing some tips, tricks AND recipes for her Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Bake!

How do you fit in serving delicious yet nutritious breakfasts for guests during the busy holidays?

Cooking and entertaining is fun, but it can definitely be time consuming. At least one week before guests arrive I like to make a plan for which meals will be eaten and prepared at home and which meals will be eaten out. With my family and friends, breakfasts are usually eaten in so that the guests staying with me can sleep in and enjoy a slow morning. I find that preparing as many ingredients ahead of time (and sometimes the entire dish minus the cooking…like today!) allows me to serve delicious, filling meals for my guests without breaking a sweat. My absolute favorite dishes to make when I have guests staying the night or for breakfast are this Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Bake and this Easy Breakfast Casserole. Both dishes can be tossed together the night before and simply popped into the oven the morning of. AND they are both packed with nutritious produce!

How do you recommend getting the freshest berries in the middle of Indiana winter?

Frozen berries are the trick to enjoying flavorful berries (or any fruit!) any time of year here in the Midwest. Frozen fruits and berries are picked and frozen at their absolute peak ripeness, which means they contain as many nutrients as possible. The great thing about this Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Bake is that you don’t even need to thaw the berries before cooking! One tip – make sure to check the ingredient label when purchasing frozen fruit and berries. The fruit or berry should be the only ingredient added. Because these berries are picked when perfectly ripe, no added sugar is needed, these frozen fruits are sweet all on their own.

What makes this Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Bake a nutritious and satisfying option when serving a crowd?

The oatmeal is packed with fiber, iron, along with many other vitamins and minerals. The walnuts are the only nuts containing a significant amount of omega 3 fatty acids. You can really bring out their flavor here by toasting the nuts. Simply toss them onto a rimmed baking sheet for 5 minutes at 375 (basically the time it takes to mix together the other ingredients). For a more hands on approach, you can toss these into a saute pan and toss them over medium heat for about 5 minutes – or until fragrant. This one simple step will really bring out the richness the nuts add to the dish. Finally, you are starting your day with a serving of produce! Today, I am making this dish with bananas and berries, but you could easily use fruit you have on hand. I’ve even thrown a can of pumpkin into the mix before!

Pour the wet mixture over the oatmeal mixture and stir until combined.

Place the banana slices and berries along the bottom of the baking dish.

Pour the oatmeal mixture over the berries.*

Bake 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm or allow to cool thoroughly before storing for use later in the week.

*If making this dish in advance, stop the recipe before baking. Cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 3 days before following the rest of the baking instructions listed above.

Recipe 2: Easy Breakfast Casserole

Can you make this Easy Breakfast Casserole ahead of time too?

Absolutely! I first made this dish while I was hosting family in our small Denver apartment over Thanksgiving and it was a hit. I love to get up and get active in the morning, so while my guests were relaxing and sleeping in I was able to toss this breakfast casserole that I had prepared the night before right into the oven. By the time I was back and my guests were waking, the casserole was ready to serve.

What makes a breakfast casserole great for a crowd?

Dishes like this are great for a crowd because they are very customizable. The main dish is prepped ahead and tossed into the oven and then you can serve toppings on the side so guests can make the meal to suit their tastes – toppings that are popular among my family and friends are salsa and cheese. I also like to allow my guests to make the meal as hearty as they like by offering whole grain toast or English muffins and whole fruit like apples and bananas. After this meal, guests will be fueled and ready for all the holiday traditions and making new memories.